Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between the state of Washington and the AFH Council, primarily to set Medicaid reimbursement rates, but also to provide for a process to resolve disputes and an official Communications Committee.  The AFH Council is the exclusive representative of Adult Family Home Providers who receive Medicaid payments. The organization negotiates and enforces the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is re-negotiated every two years, coinciding with the state’s budget biennium.  Bargaining for the 2019-21 biennium resulted in a negotiated contract including:

• Important clarification about the PACE and MCO programs
• Backdated authorizations for untimely significant change
• Contract language that requires DSHS to interact with the provider in the development of the assessment
• Created separate healthcare and training benefits
• Increased mental health contract reimbursements
• Meaningful Home Based Activities as a statewide program
• Payment for medical escort
• Scheduled rate increases to the daily rates

• 7/1/19
• 1/1/20
• 7/1/20

• Increases for specialty contract rates (ECS, SBS, PDN)
• Increases in community integration rates

The AFH Council is continuing to work for better compensation of residents requiring awake staff at night, two person assist, and exhibit mood and behavior that cause increased time to provide assistance with activities of daily living.  Click here to view the current collective bargaining agreement.  The Collective Bargaining Agreement was modified in December of 2019 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the AFH Council and the State of Washington. The modifications are relevant to Section 8 “Training and Health Care” and the corresponding appendices (B and C). The change modifies the negotiated training benefit starting in January 2020. For the first six months of 2020, the state will contribute $0.23 of the training benefit to the AFH Training Network for each date of service claimed by an adult family home serving a resident in the classification identified in part C of the memorandum.  Beginning in July of 2020, the state will contribute $0.23 for every date of service paid to an AFH provider for all classifications. The MOU is included in the full contract linked above.  The specific provisions of the MOU are available at this link.  Click here to read the Memorandum of Understanding